Paulo Dybala: The Contenders to Sign Him & Where He Might End Up

Paulo Dybala's days in black and white appear to be numbered, though where his future lies remains a grey area.

The Juventus forward has been marginalised and demoralised following the groundbreaking £100m acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo last year, with the Portuguese forcing Dybala from centre-stage to a supporting role.

The Argentine has been left frustrated by Massimiliano Allegri's lack of loyalty and faith and a summer exit looked inevitable - that was until the announcement came that Allegri will leave at the end of the season.

That may still happen, though, and he won't be short of suitors, with a collection of illustrious European clubs eager to bring in a player of his supreme talents.

Here are the key contenders looking to secure Dybala's signature ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.

Manchester United

The Red Devils are in turmoil. Their coach has the worst win ratio of any United manager in history, they failed to mount a significant challenge in any competition this season and the club will not be playing in the Champions League next term. They really need a blockbuster new signing to lift the gloom.

Dybala is precisely what chief executive Ed Woodward is looking for; marketable, charismatic and capable of reinvigorating the side. However, the 25-year-old demands the limelight and prestige, something the English outfit may struggle to offer with Europa League football and the likes of Paul Pogba in the squad.

Likelihood Rating: 2/10

Paris Saint-Germain

To be fair, PSG are linked to every top footballer. But, just like a broken clock is right twice a day, the rumour mill occasionally churns out true stories about the Parisians' transfer targets.

Dybala's former teammate Dani Alves has allegedly been in his ear, urging him to up sticks and make a move to the French capital. However, the Ligue 1 side don't exactly need him given the glut of options they have up front, meaning they would likely miss out if a bidding war broke out.

Likelihood Rating: 3/10

Liverpool

Reports suggest that Real Madrid have Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah in their crosshairs in a move that could trigger a chain of extravagant transfers. One such resultant deal could see the Reds swoop for Dybala, with €100m believed to be enough to prise him away from the Allianz Stadium.

That would almost definitely be less than the requisite figure for Salah, with his replacement possessing a similar skill-set. The pair are both left-footed, able to play across the frontline and adept as both a finisher or in a playmaking role. It seems like a no-brainer on Jurgen Klopp's part if Salah is sold. But that's a big and unlikely if.

Likelihood Rating: 3/10

Bayern Munich

James Rodriguez's loan spell at Bayern is coming to an end and the Bavarians are thought to be uninterested in taking up their option to buy the Colombian. His South American counterpart Dybala would be a fine successor, the pair having been cast in the same mould.

Of course, Rodriguez is not the only forward expected to depart Die Roten in the coming months, with veteran wing duo Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery set for their swansong in the DFB Pokal final next weekend.

The Bundesliga champions have the financial might to compete with any rivals in the race for Dybala and will be needing a player with his expertise; don't be surprised if the former Palermo playmaker decides to settle in Germany.

Likelihood Rating: 6/10

Atletico Madrid

The saga of Antoine Griezmann has rumbled on for aeons, finally nearing its conclusion this week as the Frenchman confirmed he would be leaving Atletico following the end of the La Liga season.

It's the same scenario for Los Rojiblancos as it is for most of the clubs mentioned above; they're losing a superstar and want another similarly-skilled world-beater to lessen the blow. To put a positive spin on the sale of Griezmann, it will leave them with a sizeable war chest with which to add to their attacking armoury.

Fortunately for Atleti, coach Diego Simeone is known to have held talks with Dybala in the past, their shared nationality potentially handing the Spaniards the upper hand in the pursuit of the Bianconeri icon. In fact, they have reportedly made their move already, offering him a five-year deal at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

Likelihood Rating: 7/10

Inter

Mauro Icardi has suffered a fall from grace this season, the striker having been stripped of the Inter captaincy in February before petulantly electing to rule himself out of future matches. He eventually reversed that decision after a near two-month playing hiatus, but the Nerazzurri faithful have already turned their back on their once-beloved talisman.

He is likely to be ushered out the door in the summer, his current employers already preparing for life without the prolific forward. They are rumoured to be in for his compatriot Dybala, who would fill the goalscoring hole left by Icardi.

Though the Juventus man has had an underwhelming campaign, he has more than proven his quality in Serie A in recent years. Dybala hit a combined 52 league goals in his first three seasons in Turin, showing his tally of five this term to be an anomaly.

Likelihood Rating: 7/10

So, where will Dybala end up? It's difficult to see him deciding on a switch to Old Trafford with the catalogue of problems there and Liverpool will fight tooth and nail to hold onto Salah. If the latter remains on Merseyside, there will be no need for a lavish deal for the Argentina international.

As discussed, PSG would be the first to drop out of the race, making a transfer to France improbable. That leaves three strong contenders, though the player may favour Inter over Atletico and Bayern.

He is familiar with Serie A and would, therefore, not need as much time to adjust. However, joining the men from Milan means he will have the chance to exact revenge upon Juve. His disillusionment with the Old Lady is well-documented and an individual with such unwavering self-belief would be desperate to prove the club that mistreated him very, very wrong.

Source : 90min